Adjustable multiple lever tool



ug- 3, 1954 w. F. TlBBETTs 2,685,130

ADJUSTABLE MULTIPLE LEVER TooL Filed Feb. 12, 1952 Patented Aug. 3, 1954 2,685,130 ADJUSTABLE MULTEPLE LEVER TOOL Willis F. Tibbetts, Reading, Mass., assigner to K. Porter, Inc., Som ration of Massachusetts erville, Mass., a corpo- Application February 12, 1952, Serial No. 271,224

3 Claims.

l This invention relates to compound-lever tools of which the tool commonly known as a bolt clipper is a well known example, and the object is to provide an improved construction whereby the relative position of the pivotal centers may be ad-i justed as is necessary, for example, in a bolt clipper or like cutting tool when the edges are resharpened and would thereafter fail to meet unless suitable adjustment were made. The object of the invention is to provide within the existing dimensional limitations a simple, strong, readily manipulated construction and furthermore one providing for the use therein of simply made and reliable forgings.

The invention will be weil understood by reference to the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein there is illustrated a tool of the bolt cutter type and wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the tool;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1 with a part at the nearer side omitted and the remainder partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is an edge view as seen from the right of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sections on the correspondingly numbered lines of Fig. 2 respectively.

Referring to the drawing, there is there shown a compound-lever tool including a pair of jawcarrying levers 6 pivoted between their ends on the cross straps 8, since in the example shown the jaw levers do not cross, and have opposed cutting edges Il?. The levers 6 are operated by handle levers l2 pivoted together at lli, while the tails of the jaw-carrying levers are pivoted (each through intermediary elements hereinafter more fully described) at the points IS to the handles in such a way that the pivots ld and i6 define a toggle which is straightened as the handle levers are brought together to press the jaws Hi together with great force. To permit adjustment the connection oi' the jaw-carrying levers to the handles is made through adjusting sections pivoted to the jaw levers at it and to the handles at 20 and in operation are rigidly connected with one of the parts (herein the handle) to act as one therewith. The description of the present paragraph would be equally applicable to many tools of the prior art.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, handle lever l2 comprises a distal portion or stub l2d, which may be a forging, having a shank fitting into a tubular extension 12j, to provide a handle lever of desired length, the parts being secured together by rivet 22 (and also the pivot pin 2k3 on which the adjusting section is mounted and which traverses these two handle parts as seen in Fig. 6). The offset distal ends oi the stubs I2d of the two levers nest and are connected by pivot I4. Each adjusting section comprises front and rear plates l8r and l8r, conveniently orgings, which overlie the front and rear sides of its handle lever, being pivoted thereto at 28 at their proximal ends. A nut 2d is received between the plates, is supported by trunnions 25 integral therewith and entering the plates, and is received in an opening 28 formed in the handle stub I 2d, the center line of the nut being in the central plane of the stub. It will be noted that the width of the opening 28 from left to right, viewing Fig. 2, is considerably greater than the axial length of the nut. As best shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3 the walls of the plates may be offset locally to accommodate a nut of adequately large size.

The nut 24 has threaded therein a setscrew 30 which bears on the abutment provided by the inner wall of opening 23, as best seen in Fig. 4. This screw may have a reduced extension 32 which passes through the outer wall of the opening and has a squared end 34 exposed at the exterior of the tool which provides for turning the screw. Herein the reduced extension is journalled in an externally threaded sleeve 36 fitting a female thread in the outer wall of opening 23. As seen in Figs. 2 and 4 the outer wall of the opening may be locally enlarged at the location of this female thread so that the sleeve may be of suitable size, the adjacent portions of the plates I 8f and I Br being offset to correspond, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4. The sleeve 36 has a hexagon head 33 exposed at the exterior of the tool to provide for turning it, and its inner end apposes an outwardly facing shoulder 40 on screw 333 (see Fig. 4).

If the sleeve 36 is turned to move toward the left, viewing Fig. 2, it thrusts the screw 3i! and the nut 213 carried thereby toward the left, clamping the former against the abutment provided by the inner wall oi opening 28. When the parts are so adjusted the nut 24 and the adjusting plates 48;* and EST of the adjusting section are fiXedly supported between oppcsitely facing abutment surfaces, the inner wall of opening 28 and the end of the sleeve 36, which latter is supported in the outer wall of the opening 28. The sleeve 36 also serves as a locknut to prevent turning of the screw Si?. The adjusting section is thus held rigid as a part of handle lever l2, the parts I2, IBf and E81" functioning as a single rigid lever` and the pivot 20 not functioning as such in the normal use of the tool.

Suppose the edges I have been resharpened and it is desired to make a compensating adjustment so that they will meet in the closed position of the tool. For this purpose the sleeve v3 may be slacked oi and the adjusting screw 3E! then turned to move nut 24 to the right, viewing Fig. 2, thus swinging the plates [3f and l8r clockwise about pivot to move pivot I6 to the right and cause the edge l0 of the jaw lever connected to that pivot to move toward the left. The sleeve is then tightened to maintain the adjustment.

In the normal closing movement of the tool when the parts are subjected to heavy strain, the arm of the toggle between pivots I4 and I6 is under compression and the load is taken by the end of the screw bearing against its abutment and the trunnions of the nut.

In the above description for clearness I have used to identify the parts certain words which are applicable to the ngures of the drawing as shown. Thus front and rear, inner` and outer refer to Fig. l. Fig. 3 then views the outer side oi the portion of the tool shown in Fig. 2. Distal and proximal are used from the point of view of a user holding the tool in his hands at the ends of the handle levers I2 as he would hold it in applying it to use. These words are of course relative. Thus if we turned the whole tool over, viewing Fig. l, through 180, the front plates l8f would then be at the rear, and neither word is literally applicable to Fig. 3 considered alone.

It will be apparent that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and the present embodiment should therefore be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, as is in fact clear in several matters from the description itself. Reference is to be had to the appended claims to indicate those principles of the invention exemplified by the particular embodiment described and which it is desired to secure by Letters Patent.

I claim:

1. In a tool of the class described comprising a pivoted jaw-carrying lever, a pivoted handle lever and an adjusting section pivoted to and connecting said levers and means carried by the section cooperating with one of said levers to swingably adjust the section relatively thereto whereby to position relatively the other pivots, the combination wherein said section comprises front and rear plates overlying said one lever at opposite sides thereof and a nut is supported by said plates substantially in the plane of said lever,

the said lever having an opening in which the nut is received, a setscrew threaded in the nut to bear on the inner wall of the opening, a sleeve threaded in the outer wall of the opening and having a manipulating portion at the outer side thereof, the setscrew having an extension passing through said sleeve to dispose its end for manipulation at the outer side of the tool and having an outwardly facing shoulder presented to the inner end of said sleeve which latter may thus be set up against the shoulder to lock the setscrew against the abutment provided by said inner wall.

2. In a tool of the class described comprising a pivoted jaw-carrying lever, a pivoted handle lever and an adjusting section pivoted to and connecting said levers, and means carried by the section cooperating with one of said levers to swingably adjust the section relatively thereto whereby to position relatively the other pivots, the combination wherein said section comprises front and rear plates overlying said one lever at opposite sides thereof and a nut is supported by said plates substantially in the plane of said lever, said lever presenting an outwardly facing abutment at the inner side of the nut, a setscrew threaded in the nut for engaging the abutment the screw having an outer manipulating portion exposed at the outer side of the tool, and releasable means adjacent said portion applying inward pressure to the screw and nut toward said abutment.

3. In a tool of the class described comprising a pivoted jaw-carrying lever, a pivoted handle lever and an adjusting section pivoted to and connecting said levers and means carried by the section cooperating with one of said levers to swingably adjust the section relatively thereto whereby to position relatively the other pivots, the combination wherein said section comprises front and rear plates overlying said one lever at opposite sides thereof and a nut is supported by said plates substantially in the plane of said lever, the said lever presenting abutments at the inner and outer sides of said nut, a screw passing through said nut to cooperate with the inner abutment and having an outer end exposed for manipulation at the outer side of the tool, and releasable means cooperating with the outer abutment and the screw for locking the screw against outward movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

